The Hello Parents Network of Thompson put on their annual summer Safe Kids Day at the Rotary Park splash pad July 18, offering up kids games and crafts, information about health and water safety, a barbecue and a bike rodeo.
“The purpose of Safe Kids Day is to give families an opportunity to come and learn about different safety practices,” said Melissa Pham of the Hello Parents Network of Thompson, which was formed in 1998 and hosts quarterly activities designed to bring parents and children together as families. The network is a partnership of community organizations including Babies Best Start, public health dietitians, the Burntwood Parent Child Coalition, Families First, the Futures Family Resource Centre and RCMP, as well as the InSight Mentoring Program, Ma-Mow-We-Tak Friendship Centre New Beginnings, Turnabout, Wapanohk Community School, the Thompson Crisis Centre, Northern Regional Health Authority health promotion and behavioural health and the School District of Mystery Lake family outreach co-ordinator.
Other Hello Parents Network activities throughout the year include National Child Day celebrations in November, the Family Literacy Day event and teddy bear picnic in January, and an annual parent conference in the spring.
Although the splash pad was waterless July 18, due to a mechanical failure that has closed it until further notice, Safe Kids Day still drew a sizeable crowd.
“It takes a lot of effort but I think it’s a good payout for the community with all the activities,” said Pham.
